Improved rotary engine



UNITED STATESA PATENT 'Orme-n.1

JAMES PLATT,oF Nnw YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVED ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,829, dated September 8, 1863 antedated` March 14, 1862.

To ZZ whom it may concern: i

Beit known that I, JAMES BLATT, of the city, count-y, and State of New York, haveinvented a new and Improved Rotary Engine;

and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figurel is avertical section of my invention, taken in the line x rr, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same, taken in the line y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the same, taken in the line z z, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section -of the same, taken in the line z z', Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to a new and improved arrangement of parts, whereby itis believed that the chief diiiiculty hitherto attending the operation of rotary engines is obviated, to wit-the unequal expansion of the parts which produces leakage and consequent wear and `tear and a general derangement of the mechanism, which is soon rendered inefficient.

The invention consists in the employment or use of station ary steamvpassages, a stationary head provided with an abutment, and a revolving shell provided with swinging pis-` understand and construct my invention, I will i proceed to describe it.

A represents a stationary shell, which is supported by feet, a, firmly bolted to a suitable framing. This shell is of cylindrical form and contains the working parts of the engine.

B is a tube or cylindrical box, the inner end of which terminates in a hollow cylindrical head, G, provided with a segment projection, D. The head C has openings b b', one at each side of the projection D, both of which are shown in Fig. l. The inner part of the tube B, with its head C. are within the shell A, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

The tube B is provided with a central tube, E, 'quite small in diameter, which extends entirely through the tube B, and serves as a vcase for a shaft, F, which is lit-ted loosely in the tube B, and has a pulley, G, onits outer end. The inner end of the shaft F has its bearing at the center of the inner side of the shell A, as shown at c in Fig. 2. The tube Bis fitted steam-tight in the shell A by means of a stuft'- ing-box, H. (Shown clearly in Fig. 2.) VOn the inner end of shaft F there is permanently secured a shell, I, which encompasses the head y C. The projection D is within the shell I, and

arms K are at the outer side of the shell I, and

each arm has a frictionroller, L, at its end. (See Figs. 2 and 3, and dotted lines iu Fig. 1.) The friction-rollers L are iit-ted and work in a stationary cam-shaped groove or guide, M, which is within the shell A. The form of this cam-shaped groove or guide is shown clearly in Fig. 1. The tube B has a central partition, d, withinit, which partition extends within the head C, and divides the tube and head into two equal compartments, e f, which form steam-passages, e being the inductiomandf the eduction passages. The ind action-passage e communicates with the opening b, while the eduction-passagef communicates with the opening b. The shell A is provided at its lower part with a cock, N, by which the water of condensation may from time to time be drawn from the shell A. The shell I has an opening, a.in it to admit of the escape ot' leakage steam from within the shell I into shell A.

The operation of the engine is as follows: The steam passes into the induction-passages e of tube B, and thence into the head C, and through the opening b thereof into shell I, an d, being stopped at one point by the abutment D, acts against the piston or valve Jl, the inner end of which is in contact with the outer surface of the head C. The steam, acting against the piston or valve J, drives the shell I around in the direction indicated by the black arrows, and, as the shell I is permanently attached to the shaft F, the latter, of course, rotates and the power is taken from it. The roller L of the arm K of piston J, in consequence of working in the guide M, keeps lthe valve J in close contact with the exterior surface of the head O until said valve reaches the opening b, at which point the guide M, through the medium of the roller L and arm K, opens the valve or piston J-that is to say, turns it into its recess d-and the steam exhausts through. the opening b and passage j', as indicated by the dotted arrows in Fig. l. This opening of ithe valve J, or the turning of it into its recess d, enables it to pass the' abutment D, to be again acted upon by the steam which enters through e. The valve J is acted upon precisely simif` larly to J, one being acted upon while the other is idle or passing around the abutment '1). The shell I, it will be understood, fits snugly on the head C, so as to be as near steamtight as may be, and all steam that escapes from between the shell Iand head C passes into the shell A, and is there retained to equalize the expansion of the shell I and head C, so that said parts will be kept in proper working order. This is a very important feature of the invention, for it prevents not only a leakage of steam in eXcess,-but also prevents undue wear and friction ofthe working parts,

a difculty, so far as I am aware, .not hitherto obviated, and which has rendered rotary engines almost impracticable.

In order to use this rotary engine as a rotary pump, the power is applied to the shaft F and the motion of the latter'reversed, the water being drawn through the passage fand ejected through passage e.

Having thus described my inven tion, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The shell I, provided with the pistons or valvesJ J, attached to the shaft F and encompassing the stationary head C, which is provided with the abutment D, and communi- Cates with the induction and eduction passages efof tube B, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. 1

2. In combination with the stationary tube B, head (l, and rotary shell I, the stationary shell A, the latter encompassing the shell I and head C, and arranged as shown.

3. The operating or turning ot' the valves J Jl by means of the arms K and guide or groove M, arranged as shown, when said means are used in connection with the head C and shell I, and all combined and arranged for joint operation as set forth.

JAMES PLAIT.

Witnesses: p

M. M. LIVINGSTON, i `JAMES LAIRD. 

